Apple opens 5 new retail stores in big retail push
Apple on Saturday opened five new retail stores around the world, including one in Research in Motion's hometown of Waterloo, Ontario, and the company's first location in Alaska.
The Cupertino, Calif., company said during a quarterly earnings call in July that it plans to open 30 new retail stores during the third quarter, which ends in September. Five of those stores opened their doors on Saturday ahead of the back-to-school season.
Waterloo, Ontario
The newly opened Apple Store in the Conestoga Mall in Waterloo marks Apple's 20th store in Canada. This location in particular has drawn media attention because it is located just minutes from the headquarters of rival handset maker RIM.
Waterloo has been billed as a strategic area for Apple because its demographic tends to "skew younger, more educated, have more disposable income and are generally more tech savvy than many other regions in Canada." The region also has a combined total of 70,000 students from nearby Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo and Conestoga College.
Canadian Mac site ehMac.ca posted a video of the store's opening, which saw more than a hundred customers waiting in line ahead of the official opening.
After being passed by Apple last year in terms of smartphone sales, RIM has floundered in the smartphone and tablet industry. The company recently announced layoffs of 2,000 employees, or almost 11 percent of its workforce.
Analysts have called RIM a "one-trick pony" with a broken trick, projecting a bleak outlook for the company.
Anchorage, Alaska
Apple also opened up its first retail store in Alaska at the 5th Avenue Mall in Anchorage on Saturday, as noted by the Anchorage Daily News.
The first customers arrived at at 5 a.m. and were let into the mall an hour later. One customer slept overnight at a children's clothing store next door in anticipation of the launch. By 10 a.m., the line outside the store was roughly 100 yards long. Mall officials said Apple had counted about 1,000 people at the store within an hour of opening.
Murray, Utah
Utah saw its second Apple store arrive on Saturday at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray. According to the Daily Utah Chronicle, Apple store staff applauded and cheered for more than 20 minutes as customers entered the store after doors opened at 10 a.m.
?We couldn?t be more excited to open another Apple store in Murray,? said Miles Dunford, store leader for Utah's first Apple Store at The Gateway in Salt Lake City.
Credit: Richard Payson
?This is amazing," said Kenna Warner, the owner of a restaurant in the mall. ?It?s like The Beatles have arrived.?
Cheltenham, Australia
The new Apple Store at Melbourne's Westfield Southland shopping center opened its doors on Saturday with about 200 eager fans lined up outside, Macworld reports.
The new store is the 12th location for the company in Australia and the third Apple Store to open up in Melbourne.
Florence, Italy
Apple opened its sixth Italian retail store in the I Gigli mall in Campi Bisenzio, Florence. As reported by setteB.IT (via Google Translate), the opening drew a sizable crowd. Nearby shops were reportedly "amazed" by the interest generated by Apple's opening.
The Cupertino, Calif., company said during a quarterly earnings call in July that it plans to open 30 new retail stores during the third quarter, which ends in September. Five of those stores opened their doors on Saturday ahead of the back-to-school season.
Waterloo, Ontario
The newly opened Apple Store in the Conestoga Mall in Waterloo marks Apple's 20th store in Canada. This location in particular has drawn media attention because it is located just minutes from the headquarters of rival handset maker RIM.
Waterloo has been billed as a strategic area for Apple because its demographic tends to "skew younger, more educated, have more disposable income and are generally more tech savvy than many other regions in Canada." The region also has a combined total of 70,000 students from nearby Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo and Conestoga College.
Canadian Mac site ehMac.ca posted a video of the store's opening, which saw more than a hundred customers waiting in line ahead of the official opening.
After being passed by Apple last year in terms of smartphone sales, RIM has floundered in the smartphone and tablet industry. The company recently announced layoffs of 2,000 employees, or almost 11 percent of its workforce.
Analysts have called RIM a "one-trick pony" with a broken trick, projecting a bleak outlook for the company.
Anchorage, Alaska
Apple also opened up its first retail store in Alaska at the 5th Avenue Mall in Anchorage on Saturday, as noted by the Anchorage Daily News.
The first customers arrived at at 5 a.m. and were let into the mall an hour later. One customer slept overnight at a children's clothing store next door in anticipation of the launch. By 10 a.m., the line outside the store was roughly 100 yards long. Mall officials said Apple had counted about 1,000 people at the store within an hour of opening.
Murray, Utah
Utah saw its second Apple store arrive on Saturday at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray. According to the Daily Utah Chronicle, Apple store staff applauded and cheered for more than 20 minutes as customers entered the store after doors opened at 10 a.m.
?We couldn?t be more excited to open another Apple store in Murray,? said Miles Dunford, store leader for Utah's first Apple Store at The Gateway in Salt Lake City.
Credit: Richard Payson
?This is amazing," said Kenna Warner, the owner of a restaurant in the mall. ?It?s like The Beatles have arrived.?
Cheltenham, Australia
The new Apple Store at Melbourne's Westfield Southland shopping center opened its doors on Saturday with about 200 eager fans lined up outside, Macworld reports.
The new store is the 12th location for the company in Australia and the third Apple Store to open up in Melbourne.
Florence, Italy
Apple opened its sixth Italian retail store in the I Gigli mall in Campi Bisenzio, Florence. As reported by setteB.IT (via Google Translate), the opening drew a sizable crowd. Nearby shops were reportedly "amazed" by the interest generated by Apple's opening.
Comments
Apple store staff applauded and cheered for more than 20 minutes as customers entered the store after doors opened at 10 a.m.
?We couldn?t be more excited ... ?We?re beyond excited
?This is amazing,? ... ?It?s like The Beatles have arrived.?
Typical of the company's retail openings, blue-shirted Apple staff ran down the line yelling and giving high fives.
Hyperbole is one thing, but his stuff crosses the line to bullshit. If Apple want to retain credibility, they need to cut back on the crapola.
Nothing compares to the early days of Apple Store openings.
Nothing? Not even Einstein's theories? Human heart transplants? Rockets to the moon?
Hyperbole is one thing, but his stuff crosses the line to bullshit. If Apple want to retain credibility, they need to cut back on the crapola.
..said by the guy who calls himself "AppleLover!"
Anyway, I'm not sure how this hurts Apple's credibility. One of those quotes was from a third party observer. The applause and the high-fiveing would be rediculous if it was a normal store opening--but when hundreds of people are lining up at the door and waiting hours, well, it seems to be a proportional response.
Nothing? Not even Einstein's theories? Human heart transplants? Rockets to the moon?
The manufacture of 200 million portable BMWs for the mind?
Nothing? Not even Einstein's theories? Human heart transplants? Rockets to the moon?
Nothing.
You had to see the mass of people twice to realize the excitement, and as the crowds increased the thrill approached infinity.
Nothing? Not even Einstein's theories? Human heart transplants? Rockets to the moon?
Nothing.
Stupid country town attitude this state has.
Oh well another 10 hour drive to the nearest Apple Store on it's way.
The Cupertino, Calif., company said during a quarterly earnings call in July that it plans to open 30 new retail stores during the third quarter, which ends in September.
Apple is the most valuable company in the world, in terms of market cap. They should have more than a few hundred stores (with all but a few in US, Canada, and England). There is obviously a large unmet demand -- witness the level of excitement here and all the fake stores in China. I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).
I guess international expansion takes more effort, but still - seems odd.
This is nice, the RIM folks will be able to trade in their BBs and PlayBooks and get Apple Gift cards as part of Apple's new recycling program.
I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).
Real fake Apple stores?
I'm loving it, my AAPL surely is loving it, and Ballmer I'm sure is throwing more chairs while screaming like a monkey, and hating it.
Crickets at any Microsoft Store.
Bah another Australian store but STILL nothing but re-sellers in South Australia.
Stupid country town attitude this state has.
Oh well another 10 hour drive to the nearest Apple Store on it's way.
Go Perth, Go Perth, Go Perth... Muah ha ha ha ha.
Adelaide... is it still a hole?
Apple is the most valuable company in the world, in terms of market cap. They should have more than a few hundred stores (with all but a few in US, Canada, and England). There is obviously a large unmet demand -- witness the level of excitement here and all the fake stores in China. I think it's time they stopped taking a boutique approach, with each store fancily designed in a high end mall. They should just open a big bunch of nice stores in decent places with some standard designs (but keep paying a lot of attention to personnel).
Let me get this straight, Apple should just start putting stores everywhere to have a presence, and make their designs less unique (because they are pretty standard from store to store, but a high standard). Somehow, I don't think this line of thinking fits with Apple. However, there is an opening for the Chief of their Retail Stores so you can always pitch that idea...
Go Perth, Go Perth, Go Perth... Muah ha ha ha ha.
Adelaide... is it still a hole?
No offence taken.
Yes its still A-Hole. Other than the Uni's this place is quiet as. (ironically one of the main reasons why we need a dedicated Apple store)
I should have taken that job with Apple in Melbourne when i got offered it.
Oh well back to counting sheep and watching local resellers sully the Apple brand.
My answer is yes as my nearest Apple Store just got 2500 miles closer, or 5 days drive from Anchorage, across Canada, to Washington. How close is your nearest Apple Store? Don't be so stingy, we all want an Apple Store!